The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their rookie minicamp yesterday. There have been several standout player during the weekend. We’ll recognize those players here by handing out a few different awards.
Most improved award: Georgia WR Mecole Hardman
It’s not typically a good sign when your head coach describes something you do as, “brutal.” In the case of Chiefs new WR Mecole Hardman, it actually describes the learning process over the course of rookie minicamp. That’s why we’re giving Hardman our most improved award.
The Chiefs were running 20-yard dagger routes and well that’s where Andy Reid’s comment came from.
“The first one he ran was brutal, I mean brutal,” Reid said. “Then he comes back and you could see in the second and third one every time he did it he got better. I would tell you that with most of his routes that he ran. That’s what I’m looking for. Those things that they haven’t had to run that all the sudden now they are given and to be able to work within whatever God’s given them there. The speed and quickness.”
It appears that Hardman impressed big red with his ability to get better everyday and use his speed and his quickness to his advantage.
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Best play award: Virginia DB Juan Thornhill
Thornhill definitely has some hype around him after his first showing at rookie minicamp. The media is salivating over the kid, with praise from both ESPN and NFL Network in consecutive days.
I’m giving Thornhill the best play award. The Chiefs broadcasted this play all over their social media channel when it happened on the first day of camp. He caught a diving interception on a pass from T.J. Linta that went behind the intended target. Check it out down below.
The thing that makes this play great is that Thornhill almost forgot that he could get up and run with the ball because he wasn’t touched. In college if you go to the ground with a ball, you’re ruled down at the spot.
Hopefully this is just the beginning of Thornhill’s reputation as a ball hawk in Kansas City.
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Versatility award: Utah State RB Darwin Thompson
Running back is one of the most difficult positions to play during rookie minicamp because it’s all non-contact field work. It’s just hard to improve as a runner when there isn’t live contact allowed. So while I don’t feel comfortable handing out a running back specific award. I’m going to go ahead and give Darwin Thompson the versatility award.
During the first day of practice, Thompson showed the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. According to Chiefs Reporter BJ Kissel, Thompson caught a lot of check down passes. He highlighted a specific play and jump-cut that looked illustrated the type of elusive play we can come to expect from Thompson.
It wouldn’t be a versatility award if Thompson didn’t do something else during rookie camp. He also got a ton of work in with special teams coach Dave Toub. The Chiefs plan to try Thompson out on the return unit and during the first day of practice, video showed him looking uncomfortable catching the ball. Apparently he looked quite a bit better by the end of the weekend, though.
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Consistency award: Toledo WR Cody Thompson
The most consistent player throughout training camp has been undrafted WR Cody Thompson, and for that he’ll earn our consistency award. He’s a very natural catcher of the football and I’m told that he caught pretty much everything that came his way.
Each day during practice, Thompson made plays. That included catching some really wobbly passes over the middle of the field on his first day in camp. On the second day of practice he caught a diving pass deep down the field. It showed off good body control and the ability to adjust to a poorly thrown ball.
NFL receivers don’t always have the luxury of catching the prettiest passes. So it’s good to have the reputation of being able to catch whatever comes your way. You never know when your quarterback will throw you a sidearm slider.
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Sleeper award: New Mexico CB Jalin Burrell
A lot of folks seem to be excited about undrafted CB Mark Fields, but right now they’re sleeping on another undrafted corner who really played quite well in rookie minicamp for the Chiefs. Our sleeper award goes to New Mexico CB Jalin Burrell.
Burrell has made Chiefs Reporter BJ Kissel’s minicamp observation series two days in a row. On the first day he had a pass breakup on a bubble screen, which earned Burrell a celebratory high-five from Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. On the second day he made multiple pass breakups, which earned even more praise from the defensive coaching staff.
Fields may come from the big school, but Burrell has quickly made a reputation throughout rookie minicamp. Burrell is also an outside CB, which better suits the needs of the Chiefs at the position moving forward.
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Second-year award: Murray State CB D’Montre Wade
An over-looked aspect of rookie minicamp is that any player who hasn’t accrued an NFL season can attend. That means the Chiefs send guys who spent the 2018 season on the practice squad to rookie minicamp. This season the Chiefs sent nine of those players minicamp.
Cornerback D’Montre Wade is t he recipient of our second-year player award. He looked to have improved the most out of that group from the past season. It’s all the more impressive when you consider this is a new defensive coaching staff and system that he’s tasked with learning.
According to Chiefs Reporter BJ Kissel, Wade made a diving interception during the second day of practice. It came off of a pass deflection and took a great deal of concentration and athleticism to make the play. That’s the type of improvement that Wade will need to show throughout the offseason program if he wants to make the team in 2019.
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